Expansible tire chuck



r E. .s. ROBBINS 2,924,255 I EXPANSIBLE TIRE CHUCK Feb. 9, 1960 Filed Oct. 25, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I n lIHl' w! i' i 25 i '24? I "T=- I I 71 l 1| I Ill m n 1N VENTOR Edward Stan/h 7 Bobbins Feb. 9, 1960 I Filed Oct. 25, 1955 E. S. ROBBINS EXPANSIBLE TIRE CHUCK 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Eduard Stanley Robbins BY @Mfi (972W ATTORNEYS,

Feb. 9, 1960 E. s. ROBBINS EXPANSIBLE TIRE CHUCK 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 25, 1955 Edwwrdsfan lqyflobbins BY 5% @fimw I ATTORNEYS Illlllllllllll Feb.,9, 1960 E. s. ROBBINS 2,924,255

EXPANSIBLE TIRE cnucx Filed Oct. 25, 1955 e Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY law/(2W ATTORNEYS Feb. 9, 1960 E. s. ROBBINS EXPANSIBLE TIRE CHUCK 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 001;. 25, 1955 INVENTOR Edward Sta/111165! Rqbbims BY flaw/2 Feb. 9, 1960 E. s. ROBBINS 2,924,255

EXPANSIBLE TIRE CHUCK Filed Oct. 25, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 HIIIIHHM H 3 INVENTOR '3 Edward S tawley Robbins ATTORNEY 5 Unitd Staffs Ice Patented Feb. 9, 1960 EXPANSIBLE TIRE CHUCK Edward Stanley Robbins, Killen, Ala., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Robbins Tire and Rubber Company Inc., Tuscurnbia, Ala., a corporation of Alabama Application October 25, 1955, Serial No. 542,553

3 Claims. (Cl. 144-288) This invention relates to means for rotatably mounting a tire for working on it. More specifically, it refers to an expansible tire chuck for quickly and accurately mounting a tire on a lathe or the like so that it may be rotated for abrading purposes, or for removing part of the old rubber and roughing up the tire carcass in preparation for recapping.

Due to the increase in vehicle speeds on the highways and to increases in the sizes of tires it has become more and more important during the past few years that automobile tires have perfectly circular surfaces about the center of rotation, with the minimum possible out-ofround condition. In recapping of tires it is very important that the tire casing be fixed to its chuck in as perfectly true a position as possible. The Work of removing part of the old rubber and roughing up the tire carcass should be done in a manner similar to the turning of a wheel on a lathe. machined wheel with support surfaces which position the tire casing in a correctly centered and perfectly true position. The chuck means should be such as to insure that the casing will be held in a true position throughout the operation. For economical use of the apparatus means should be provided for placing a tire casing on the chuck quickly, and for easily and quickly removing it. During the abrading operation the tire should be rotated at a speed approximating the rotary speed of the tire on a vehicle traveling at high speed,

It is an object of this invention to provide a tire chuck which will meet the above requirements. Another object is to provide. an expansible tire chuck comprising a rotatably mounted wheel, a tire supporting rim on said The chuck should be a precisionprovided to apply suction to said chamber to withdraw the flexible wall or diaphragm into the ring recess, for removal of one tire casing and placement of another tire casing on the rim. Another embodiment is similar but a highly elastic annular diaphragm is used. In this form the elasticity of the diaphragm is sufficient to expel fluid from the chamber, so that suction means is not required.

. In still another embodiment, an expansible tube is disposed in a recess between rim portions of the chuck. The tube in its relaxed state has a smaller diameter and circumference than that of the annular depression between the rim portions of the chuck. The tube is stretched over the wheel between the rim portions while it is exhausted. It, therefore, forcibly ejects fluid whenever a discharge duct from the tube is opened. Air or other suitable fluid is forced into the tube to expand it outwardly into the tire casing to chuck said casing acwheel, andan expansible fluid chamber disposed in said I rim and having an annular flexible wall which may be forced outwardly into a casing disposed on said rim for holding itfirmly and accurately thereon, and which may be withdrawn inwardly completely out of said casing to permit the ready removal of the casing from the rim.-

Another object is to provide suitable means for supplying fluid under pressure to said expansible chamber for quickly chucking a tire casing, and suitable means for removing fluid from said chamber quickly to withdraw said wall from said tire casing so as to permit the prompt removal of said tire casing after the work thereon has been completed. Another object isto provide means for supplying air or other fluid to said chamber and removing it therefrom whilesaid tire casing is being rotated, in order to speed up the chucking and unchucking of said tire casing.

An expansible tire chuck with a flexible wall such as described above may be provided in several ways. In one embodiment, the flexible wall is an annular diaphragm extending around thewheel. over a recess between 3. pair of rim portions and secured to said rim portions; This diaphragm surrounds an expansible fluid chamber. Fluid under pressure may be supplied to this chamber to force the diaphragm outwardly into a tire casing disposed on said rim portions. Means are also curately and quickly on said wheel. To release thetire casing, it is only necessary to release the fluid by opening a suitable valve, whereupon the flexible, resilient tube it-.

self expels the fluid.

Although it is old to use an inner tube or an air bag resembling an inner tube within a tire casing for bufling operations or the like, the operation of placing such an air bag in a casing, then placing the tire and casing on a rotatable wheel for a butfing operation or the like, then removing the tire casing with its inner tube or air bag from the wheel, and removing the air bag is a slow opera-- tion. So far as is known, means such as disclosed in this application have not heretofore been provided for quick insertion of an air bag in a tire casing nor for quick removal thereof.

Otherobjects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and an examination of the appended drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a preferred form of,

my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same, showing in broken lines the outline of the tire casing as disposed thereon in operative position;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, shown at an enlarged scale, the.cross-section of a tire casing disposed thereon being shown in broke lines;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section similar ;to

that of the righthand portion of Figure 3 showing the expansible tube fully expanded into .a tire casing disposed on the wheel; 1 Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the tube exhausted and lying inwardly of the inner edges of the sidewalls of the superimposed tire casing disposed on.

said wheel; v

Figure 6 is a side elevation similar tothe sectional view of Figure 5 showing the tube shrunk onto the wheel I rim and the tire casing in section in an intermediate position for placement of 'said tire on the wheel or removal of the tire therefrom;

Figure 7 is a plan viewof another embodiment of my" invention showing a tire casing disposed thereon in broken lines; I V

Figure 8 is a front elevation of the same; 7

Figure 9 is a vertical section to enlarged. scale taken;

on line 9-9 of Figure 7;

Figure-1O is a fragmentary partially exploded view of the righthand portion of Figure 9 showing the tire casing and a detachable rim portionremoved; p n Figure 11 is a section taken on lin e11- 11 of Figgll),

shown to reduced scale;

Figure 12 i'sa fragmentary sectional vie w similar Figures 3 and 9, but showing still another embodiment of myinvention.

Referring now'to thedrawings, in which like characters'indicatesimilarpartsrFiguresl-6 show the 'preferred embodiment of my invention comprising a wheel 20, having, a rim 21,,mounted on a rotatableshaft 22, wheel 20 being; fixed fto' shaft 22*forf rotation therewith byisuit-fable means, such" asga key 23. Shaft 22 is'rotatab-ly mounted on astand24 bygsuit'able bearings 25. fitted? to? the' shaft" 22 is a' pulleyg'lfi' by meansofwhichrshafti 22 and wheel 20 may be" rotated; at belti' 27 being corn. nected to ,power'means not shown: s j

Rim 21" has a pairofrim' portions 28which areadapt edlosupport the inner edges orportions 29 of thesidewalls 1300f a tire 31 disposed on therim of wheel 20.

Rirrr or side portions 28 have l'ateral sidesup'port 'por-S- tions 32for' suppprting a portio'mof the outer"surface ofthe: respectiveisidewalls of the tire casing," to prevent the portions 29f fronr. being spread' apart.

Between'tthe annular rim orisidetportions' 28 andiinward radially of said side portions' is fan annular recess 33 having arr inner" wall surface 34.

Di's'p osedun annular recess 33 and tightly stretched 1y-- to" itsgoriginal shapethousands of times when" fluidj pressure is 'forced'into, and then released f from, the tube.

By" using a tube having a, diameter and circumference in. therelaxed condition less'jthan that of the rim, upon which it is fixed, the tube 35"quickly expels substantially, all air or other fiuid'when a suitable release valve-con?- nected'with the filling pipe is opened. The stronger and more elastic the tube 35 is, and the more it'iststretched on1the'rim,]the faster it willIeXpel'air-fromjts interior, provided the exhaust passages are sufliciently larger For, 7 satisfactory results, tube 35 should-have a circumference,

when in the unstretched deflated'condition'otfthe rim, less than 90% of the minimumucircumference ofl'thefannular surface 34 upon which it is stretched. Pifefer'ably, the circumference of'tube 35' in the, unstretch'ed condi-- tion described should be lessfthan .75'%I.of'the minimum circumference ofthedepressed portion ofthe rim."

As shown in ,Fi gures- 3,, 5, and 6, 1 wherein tube35fis in the exhaustedcondition, it lies wholly within annular,

recessc 33v below or radiallyinwardly, of the innenedge portions- 29 'of 1 a. tirecasing 31 disposed, on. the wheel.

Thismakes itfeasy to place, the .tire. casington thenrinr V or to remove it therefrom as illustrated in Figure 6; in

thesame manner that a tire is ,applied and mounted; on

'aLdrop, center wheelior rimofconventional design;

Figure, 4 shows tube. 35 expanded within the tire. -casfluid can be released before the wheel has stopped rotating; by simply pressing-thewalve stem inwardly along the axis of shaft 22.

Connected with the end ofduct 136 opposite valve 39 is a rotatable joint 40 connecting duct 36 with a supply pipe 41 leading from a source of fluid under pressure, such as compressedtair. A stop valve 42 in line 41 provides meansby which fluid may be admitted to tube 35 through joint "40', duct13637, and duct 3836. Because of rotary joint40, the fluid under pressure may be supplied, to tube 35 while the wheel 20,is being rotated.

The operation of the'apparatuslshown in Figures; 1-6 will be apparent from. the above description. With wheel 20 stationary, valve 42 closed, and valve 39 opened as shown in Figure' S tube. 35 willtlielwithin recess 33, in the position illustrated in Figures 3, 5, and 6. A casing 31 to be retreaded may be placed on wheel 20 in the manner illustrated in Figure 6 and disposed on rim, 21 of .wheel 20- 'as illustrated Figure 5'? Valve '39 is then closed as shown in Figure 4"and valvei 42"opened, act-3 mitting fluid under pressure to tube 35f and: expanding it outwardly until it fillsthewsihg 31as"il1ustrated in Figure 4. Wheel 20withcasing 31 thereon may then be rotated by means 26-27'previously"described. On completion of the butfingort otheroperation on casing 31" valve 42isclosed; wheelf"20is stopped',jand valve 39"opened'. The elastic tube3 5 thereupon expels'the' flhidfrom itself .through ductst36 38-37"and valve 39 so? that'tube 35" again assumes the position within the depressed" portion of wheel 20 illustrated in. Figures "3, 5,and 6. The casing 31. is then. removed in the manner illustrated'in Figure 6'. p

Another embodiment of my inventionisshown in Fig ures 7-l1, inclusive. Referring more particularly to Figure'9; a wheel 20' is mounted on a shaft 22, being, fiXed thereto for rotation therewith by a key 23C Shaft} 22fis rotatably mounted on a stand 24"by suitable beari1'1gs125'. A pull'eyg26' fixed, to shaft 22, and a belt 27',

around"p,ulley 26' and, leading from a motor not, shown,

ofa' tire 31'. Rim portions 28' each have a lateral side.

support portion 32,for, supporting a portion offthe outer; surface of the respective sidewall'adjacent the inner edge, portion 29' thereof. Av comparatively large annular recess 33" is.provided"in wheel 201', between ,rimeportions,

ing 31 disposed'on wheel 20; In this conditionetube 35 V presses firmly against the tirecasingand against the rim portions, 34 ofthe :wheell and holdsl tire'; casing 31",se+- curely: and firmly on.said wheellin an accurately truedr position It isheldsecurely in this,.po sitinn durirrggroa tation of wheel 20 and bufling, or otheraoperationaona casingll.

Suitable means are provided for: supplying; fluid to, and exhausting fluid from tube 35, as best illustratedain;

Figure 3, A duct 136 extends throughout the:lengthlof ashaft 22. ,Thesend of duct 36i adjacent wheel+20is enlargedas indicated at 37. An enlarged'duct 38 connects portion: 37 with .fillingvtube, 135 of tube 35. A quick-release. valve{3 9 is. attached to the end of shaft :22 adjacent wheel 20. By turning the knob of valve*39;fromsthes closed. to :the opened; positions an. exit passage? oblarge cross section is provided from tube-'35 thropgh;,tubes36,

38* and,3 7,.so,that tube-35 may be -exhausted quickly when valve 39: isropenedw If :preferred, a quick; release valve of the reciprocating type maybe usedisorthat thea I tions-28'.

r 28' and f extending inwardly: therefrom toward shaft 22?.

withdraw. flexible wall 35' inwardly into recess 33' as.' illustrated in FiguresmlO and 11.

Flexiblewwall or, diaphragm 35' maybe of elastic, highly, extensible: rubber with enough stretchsand clasp. ticity sothat when suflicient ,fluid pressure is applieda to said'expansible fluid chamber wall or diaphragm 35', it. will expand elastically outwardly against'the inner sur: faces ofltirewasing 31' and when said fluid is sufficient,

1y, exhausted from. said, expansible fluid chamber, ,flexi; blewall, 35. will be drawn within annular recess 33!, suba an flexible; material whichlhassr just sutficientu stretch: and

elasticity so tliat it willtcon form well to -theintetion space between diaphragm35" andtthey faces of tire casing 31' when said expansible' fluid chamher is fully expanded. No matter which type of material is used for flexible wall or diaphragm 35', when it is forced outwardly into a tire casing 31' disposed on wheel 20', it chucks said tire casing on wheel 20' very firmly and precisely.

as stated above, means are provided for.supplying fluid under pressure to the annular expansible fluid chamher, and for withdrawing it therefrom. A fluid duct 36' in shaft 22 connects with a duct 38' leading to recess 33'. Duct 36' is connected with a supply and exhaust p pe 47 by a rotatable joint 40'. Supply and exhaust pipe 47 may be connected with a source of fluid under pressure (not shown) through a supply pipe 49 (Figure 7), or with suction means (not shown) as through a suction pipe 50, by a three-way valve 48, these connect1ons being indicated in Figure 7. Valve 48 may be thrown in one position to connect pipe 47 with the source of fluid under pressure through pipe 49; it may be thrown in position to connect pipe 47 with vacuum pipe 50; or, it may be thrown in a third position to disconnect pipe 47 from both pipe 49 and pipe 50.

Referring to Figure 9, the lefthand rim portion 28' has a lateral side support 32' which remains in fixed position during the use of the apparatus to support a portion of the outer surface of the lefthand'sidewall oftire casing 31'. The righthand rim portion 28 has a quickly detachable lateral side support 32' for supporting a portion of the outer side of the righthand sidewalls of tire 31'. The structure of this detachable side support 32' and the means for quickly attaching and detaching it is best understood by reference to Figures 8 and 10. The detachable side support 32' is part of a ring 51 having a flat flange portion which has a plurality of keyhole slots 52 therethrough. The enlarged portions of keyhole slots 52 are big enough to pass the heads of turnbolts 53 which are screwed in the righthand side of wheel 20' as viewed in Figure 10. Referring to Figure 8, turn-bolts 53 may be loosened slightly, ring 51 rotated counterclockwise, and ring 51 withdrawn from the wheel as illustrated in Figure 10. Flexible wall or diaphragm 35' being withdrawn within recess 33' it is very easy to place a tire casing 31 on wheel 20' or remove it therefrom.

From the foregoing description the operation of the apparatus shown in Figures 7 to 11 will be apparent. With the tire casing in place on wheel 20' and ring 51 in place, valve 48 is turned to admit fluid under pressure to expansible chamber 43 to force flexible wall 35' outwardly into the tire casing to the position illustrated in Figure 9. The wheel is rotated by means 26'-27', for abrading casing 31. The wheel is then stopped and valve 48 turned to the position to exhaust fluid from chamber 43 so as to withdraw flexible wall 35 to the position illustrated to Figure 10. Ring 51 and tire 31 may then be removed and the operation repeated on another tire.

Figure 12 shows still another embodiment of my invention. An annular diaphragm 35" of strong, tough, highly elastic rubber is stretched tightly around the inner surface 34 of annular recess 33", which lies between rim portions 28". The edges of diaphragm 35" are firmly attached to rim portions 28" in a manner like that described for the embodiment of Figures 7-11. There is a detachable portion 32"--51", like that of Figures 7-11, although this is not necessary; the rim may, instead, be of the drop center type shown in Fig. ures 3-6, modified to provide means for attaching the edges of diaphragm 35" to the inner sides of rim portions 28". Diaphragm 35" thus forms an annular expansible chamber between itself and the surface 34". A duct 36" leads inwardly from recess 33" and connects with a duct like those shown in Figure 3 at 38, 37, and 36. The embodiment of Figure 12 is like that of Figure 3 inwardly of the rim, including release valve 39, compressed fluid supply means 40, 41 and 42, and

the mounting and wheel turning means. Thus, com-' pressed air or' other fluid may be'admitted toth'e' expansible chamber and released from it. Diaphragm 35" is shown in full lines in the position it takes when the fluid is released, and in broken lines in its expanded position inside a tire casing 31". Because it is stretched on the rim it expels fluid quickly when the release valve is opened. Suitable groovesmay be provided in the surface 34" to facilitate the release of fluid from the expansible chamber terminating in openings into the exhaust duct, such as indicated at 55. For quick expelling action by diaphragm 35", its circumference in the unstretched condition olf the rim should not exceed approximately of the minimum circumference of surface 34", and best results are obtained when its unstretched circumference is somewhat less than 75% of the minimum circumference of surface 34".

The embodiment of Figure 12 is operated in the same manner as that described above for the apparatus of Figures 1-6, except for the detachable ring 51", which is operated in the manner described above for the embodiment of Figures 7-11. When fluid under pressure forces diaphragm 35" out into the tire casing the latter is quickly and accurately chucked'on the wheel. When fluid is released, as by a release valve like valve 39, elastic diaphragm 35" expels the fluid and assumes a position below the tire casing, thereby permitting easy removal of the tire casing and placement of another tire casing on the wheel.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided a fluid-operated tire chuck by means of which a tire casing may be chucked on a lathe or the like very quickly and accurately and the tire removed from the lathe or chuck very easily and quickly. Furthermore, the tire casing is automatically forced into true position and held accurately in said position for abrading or other operation on said tire. In each form of my invention I provide an expansible fluid chamber having an annular flexible wall. In the preferred form, this chamber is the interior of a very strong, elastic, flexible tube. In the other forms described, the expansible fluid chamber is the annular space between an annular flexible wall or diaphragm and a recess in the wheel. In each form, an annular, flexible wall is provided. In the preferred form, this wall is a portion at least of the tube. In the other forms, the wall is the flexible diaphragm. In each form, the flexible wall is forced outwardly to chuck the tire accurately on the wheel rim and drawn inwardly (either by its own elasticity or by suction means) clear of the tire casing to permit removal of one tire casing and placement of another tire casing on the wheel.

Numerous other embodiments within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, and without limitation,v the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, may be modified by substitution of a removable rim portion such as that shown at 32" in Figure 10 for the fixed portion 32 shown at the righthand side of Figure 3.

I claim:

1. A tire chuck for mounting a pneumatic tire casing comprising a rotatable wheel having a pair of opposed peripheral edges, rim members secured on said wheel around said peripheral edges, to support the respective side walls of a tire casing, said Wheel having an annular recess between said rim members, a tubular inflatable air bag mounted in said recess in stretched condition radially inward on said wheel from said rim members, and

duct means communicating with said air bag and dis- 1 posed radially inwardly of said rim members for inflating and exhausting said air bag, said air bag being c-apablewhen inflated of expanding against a'tire casing mounted on said wheel, and when exhausted being selfretracting because of its stretched condition.

2. A tire chuck for mounting a pneumatic tire casing comprisinga rotatable-.gwhecli having apainofiopppsed peripheral; edges,:1. rim; memhersi 1 securedon said wheel around; said. peripheral; edges, to: support. thei respective side wallsofa tire casing lsaid wheel-having an annular? recessnbetweenc saidU-rim members, an annular inflatable air bagqmountedin said recessin.stretched condition.:radially' inward on said: wheel from 1 said .rim members, and

and unstretched condition ofiusaid wheel having a diameterlless-lthanminetyspercent of the, diameter of said-re: v

cess,-said air bag being capable when inflatedof expanding against a; tire casing-; mounted on.said:wheel, .and

when exhausted? being self-retracting becauseof itsv stretched condition.

3. A tire chucleformounting aspneumatictire casing wheel around each peripheraliedge-thereof to support the; inner edges of the respective sidewalls of a tire, cask ing,said wheel having anannular recess: betweensaid rim a members, air bagmeans :mounted lin..stretched I condition on said wheel in said. recess andflbetween saidrixn members; saidivainbagtmeansi being capable: when inflatedtof expandinggagainstlsaidfiire .casing; and when exhausted;beingzselfi-xetranting toiapositiomradially inward on' said; wheelifrom said rrinmmembers ,amconnecting duct extending radially through said'whecl iand interconnect-l ing said manifold duct and said air bag means means mountedsatlan; endof said shaftaLone; side; of said wheel t t qgi jcctz fluid -under pressure into said' manifold. 1

dnct,-, said irnanifolclE duct being E enlarged on, the opposite sidel of l said wheel,"said-connecting ,duct having alcrosssectional area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area-of said enlarged manifold duct-portion and a quick-.

acting; release ivalve mounted; on 1 saidenlarged manifold duct.

' References(lited inithe file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS 1,685,297" Shone Sept. 25, 1928-. 1,777,405; Frank: Oct. 7, 1930 2;045,;9 -37- Woock; 1 June 30, 193.6 2.,054, ;965,r- Clo 1Septw22, 1936 2,182,176; Maranville: Dec. 5; 1939 2,479,493 Horton-'Wellings Aug.;,16, 1949 2,493;289: Hawkinson; .,Ian.;3, 19501 2,514,964 Miller etrall- July11,m1950, 

